Alcohol

Alcohol is
the most common drug used and abused. It is an intoxicant that depresses the
central nervous system and can lead to a temporary loss of control over physical
and mental powers. The signs of drunkenness are well known: lack of
coordination, slurred speech, blurred vision,

and poor judgment.

The amount of alcohol in liquor is measured by a "proof
rating." For example, 45 percent pure alcohol would be 90-proof liquor. A
twelve-ounce can of beer, four ounces of wine, and alone-shot glass of 100-proof
liquor all contain the same amount of alcohol

In recent years, debate has raged over whether alcoholism is a sin or a
sickness. The Bible clearly labels drunkenness a sin (Deut. 21:20-21; 1 Cor.
6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-20), but that doesn't mitigate against the growing
physiological evidence that certain people's biochemistry makes them more prone
to addiction.

Some studies suggest that the body chemistry of alcoholics processes alcohol
differently than that of non-alcoholics. Acetaldehyde is the intermediate
by-product of alcohol metabolism, butte biochemistry of some people make it
difficult to process acetaldehyde into acetate. Thus, acetaldehyde builds up in
the body and begins to affect a person's brain chemistry. Thchemicals produced
(called isoquinolines) act very much like opiates and therefore contribute to

alcoholism.

Other
studies have tried to establish a connection between certain types of
personalities analcoholism. The general conclusion has been that there is no
connection. But more recentstudies seem to suggest some correlation between
personality type and drug abuse. Onpersonality type that seems to be at risk is
the anti-social personality (ASP), who is oftencharming, manipulative,
impulsive,and egocentric. ASPs make up 25 percent of the alcohol-

and drug-abuse population, yet only comprise about 3 percent of the general
population.

The social
costs of alcohol are staggering. Alcoholism is the third largest health problem
(following heart disease and cancer). There are an estimated 10 million problem
drinkers in the American adult population and an estimated 3.3 million teenage
problem drinkers. Half of all traffic fatalities and one-third of all traffic
injuries are alcohol-related. Alcohol is involved in 67percent of all murders
and 33 percent of all suicides Alcohol is also a prime reason for the breakdown
of the family. High percentages of family violence, parental abuse and neglect,
lost wages, and divorce are tied to the abuse of alcohol in this country. In one
poll on alcohol done for Christianity Today by George Gallup, nearly one-fourth
of all Americans cited alcohol and/or drug abuse as one of the three reasons most responsible
for the high divorce rate in this country.

Since the publication of Janet Geringer Woitiz's book Adult Children of
Alcoholics, society has begun to understand the long-term effect of alcoholism
on future generations. Children of Alcoholics (COAs) exhibit a number of traits
including guessing what normal behavior is, having difficulty following a
project from beginning to end, judging themselves without mercy, and

having difficulty with intimate relationships.

The toxic
effects of alcohol are also well known: they often cause permanent damage to
vital

organs like the brain and the liver. Death occurs if alcohol is taken in large
enough amounts.

When the blood alcohol level reaches four-tenths of 1 percent, unconsciousness
occurs; at

five-tenths of 1 percent, alcohol poisoning and death occurs

Marijuana

Marijuana is produced from the hemp plant (Cannabis
sativa), which grows well throughout

the world.
Marijuana has been considered a "gateway drug" because of its
potential to lead

young people to experiment with stronger drugs such as heroin and cocaine. In
1978, an

alarming 10 percent of all high-school seniors smoked marijuana every day.
Although that

percentage has dropped significantly, officials still estimate that about
one-third of all teenagers

have tried marijuana.

Marijuana is
an intoxicant that is usually smoked in order to induce a feeling of euphoria
lasting

two to four hours. Physical effects include an increase in heart rate, bloodshot
eyes, a dry mouth

and throat, and increased appetite.

Marijuana
can impair or reduce short-term memory and comprehension. It can reduce one's

ability to perform tasks requiring concentration (such as driving a car).
Marijuana can also

produce paranoia and psychosis.

Because most
marijuana users inhale unfiltered smoke and hold it in their lungs for as long
as

possible, it causes damage to the lungs and pulmonary system. Marijuana smoke
also has more

cancer-causing agents than tobacco smoke. Marijuana also interferes with the
immune systeand reduces the sperm count in males.

Cocaine

Cocaine
occurs naturally in the leaves of coca plants and was reportedly chewed by
natives in

Peru as early as the sixth century. It became widely used in beverages (like
Coca-Cola) and

medicines in the nineteenth century but was restricted in 1914 by the Harrison
Narcotics Act.

Some experts
estimate that more than 30 million Americans have tried cocaine. Government

surveys suggest there may be as many as 6 million regular users. Every day some
5,000

neophytes sniff a line of coke for the first time.

When the
popularity of cocaine grew in the 1970s, most snorted cocaine and some dissolved

the drug in water and injected it intravenously. Today the government estimates
more than

300,000 Americans are intravenous cocaine users.

In recent years, snorting cocaine has given way to smoking it. Snorting cocaine
limits the

intensity of the effect because the blood vessels in the nose are
constricted.Smoking cocaine

delivers a much more intense high. Smoke goes directly to the lungs and then to
the heart.On

the next heartbeat, it is on the way to the brain. Dr. Anna Rose Childress at
the University of

Pennsylvania notes that "you can become compulsively involved with snorted
cocaine. We have

many Hollywood movie stars without nasal septums to prove that." But when
cocaine is

smoked "it seems to have incredibly powerful effects that tend to set up a
compulsive addictive